One type of an aerosol generating system is an electrically operated aerosol generating system. Handheld electrically operated aerosol generating systems consist of a device portion comprising a battery and control electronics, a cartridge portion comprising a supply of aerosol-forming substrate held in a liquid storage portion, and an electrically operated vaporizer, and a mouthpiece. The vaporizer comprises a coil of heater wire wound around an elongate wick soaked in the liquid aerosol forming substrate held in the liquid storage portion.
EP 0 957 959 B1 discloses an electrically operated aerosol generator configured to receive liquid material from a source. The aerosol generator comprises a pump for pumping the liquid material in metered amounts from the source through a tube with an open end. A heating element surrounds the tube. The liquid material within the tube is volatilized upon activation of the heater. Upon volatilization the liquid material expands and exits the open end of the tube in gaseous form.
Residues may be created upon heating. In capillary tubes, the residues can cause clogging. This effect can alter liquid transport properties. Furthermore, the liquid material is heated indirectly: first the tube or a capillary wick is heated which in turn heats the liquid material. Heat can be lost during the energy transfer process.
Moreover, volatilization in the above described system is rather slow, as a substantial amount of liquid is to be volatilized in the confined volume within the tube.
It would be desirable to provide an improved aerosol generating system with a low-maintenance liquid transport system and with an improved atomization effect.